Hideki Irabu

Hideki Irabu
Pitcher
Born: (1969-05-05)May 5, 1969
Hirara, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Died: July 24, 2011(2011-07-24) (aged 42)
Rancho Palos Verdes, California, United States
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
NPB: May 7, 1988, for the Lotte Orions
MLB: July 10, 1997, for the New York Yankees
Last appearance
NPB: June 11, 2004, for the Hanshin Tigers
MLB: July 12, 2002, for the Texas Rangers
NPB statistics
Win–loss record 72–69
Earned run average 3.55
Strikeouts 1,282
MLB statistics
Win–loss record 34–35
Earned run average 5.15
Strikeouts 405
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Hideki Irabu (伊良部 秀輝 Irabu Hideki, May 5, 1969 – July 24, 2011) was a Japanese professional baseball player of Japanese and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States. He joined New York Yankees to much fanfare, but his career struggled. He died in 2011 of an apparent suicide.

Early life

Irabu was born on May 5, 1969 in Hirara (present: Miyakojima),[1] Okinawa, Japan then administered by the government of the United States. His father was an American service member whom Hideki never knew. Hideki's mother, Kazue, a native of Miyako, later married a restaurateur, Ichiro Irabu, from Osaka. Irabu raised Hideki as his son in Amagasaki, Hyōgo Prefecture.[2][3]

Career

Japanese career (1988–1996)

Irabu pitched for the Lotte Orions, who later became the Chiba Lotte Marines, of the Pacific League from 1988 to 1996. He was known as a high-speed pitcher and in 1993, he threw a 158 km/h (98 mph) fastball against Kazuhiro Kiyohara of the Seibu Lions. This was the fastest clocked pitch in all of Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB) until 2005, when the record was broken by Marc Kroon of the Yokohama BayStars. It remains the Pacific League record.[4][5]

Irabu led the Pacific League in wins in 1994 (15) and in ERA in 1995 and 1996 (2.53 and 2.40, respectively). He also led the Pacific League in strikeouts in 1994 and 1995 (239, 239, and 167 respectively).[6]

American career

In 1997, the San Diego Padres purchased his contract from the Chiba Lotte Marines. The criticisms of this sale from other MLB teams, who wished to bid on Irabu, led to the creation of the posting system currently used by Japanese and MLB teams.[7] Irabu, however, refused to sign with the Padres, saying he would only play with the Yankees. For the negotiating rights to Irabu, the Yankees offered the Padres a choice of one from a list of players including Brian Boehringer, David Weathers, Chris Cumberland, Andy Fox, and Matt Luke. The Padres would eventually include him as a player-to-be-named-later in a trade that involved Homer Bush and Irabu going to the New York Yankees in exchange for Rafael Medina, Rubén Rivera, and $3 million in cash.[8] The Yankees signed him to a $12.8 million, four-year contract, and after only eight minor league games, the Yankees put him in their rotation.[9]

New York Yankees (1997–1999)

Irabu made his highly publicized debut on July 10, 1997, drawing almost twice as many fans that night as they averaged for weeknight games.[10] He played with the Yankees from 1997 through 1999, winning two World Series rings (1998, 1999) despite only pitching in one postseason game and having no postseason decisions. George Steinbrenner publicly expressed disgust at his weight, at one point calling him a "fat pussy[11] toad" after he failed to cover first base on a ground ball during a spring training game. Steinbrenner refused to let Irabu accompany the team to Los Angeles, but two days later, Steinbrenner apologized and allowed Irabu to join the team.[12]

1998 was Irabu's best season in MLB, featuring career bests in games started (28), complete games (2), innings pitched (173), wins (13), and ERA (4.06).[13]

Montreal Expos (2000–2001) and later career

After the 1999 season, he was traded to the Montreal Expos for Ted Lilly, Christian Parker, and Jake Westbrook.[1] He started only 14 games for the Expos in 2000 and 2001, pitching 71⅓ innings with a 6.69 ERA and only 2 wins against 7 losses.[13]

In 2002, he signed as a free agent to pitch for the Texas Rangers as a closer.[13] At the end of the year, Irabu moved back to Japan to pitch in the Hanshin Tigers' starting rotation for the 2003 season, helping the team win the Central League pennant for the first time since 1985. When Major League Baseball opened its 2004 season in Tokyo, he pitched against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Over the course of six MLB seasons, Irabu's career totals are 126 games, 514 innings, 34 wins, 35 losses, 16 saves, 405 strikeouts, and a 5.15 ERA.[13] His Japanese totals for eleven seasons are 273 games, 1,286 1⁄3 innings, 72 wins, 69 losses, 11 saves, 1,282 strikeouts, and a 3.55 ERA.

In April 2009, Irabu had come out of retirement and made a contract with Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League. He posted a 5–3 record in 10 starts, with an ERA of 3.58. In 65 innings Irabu struck out 66 batters while walking just 19. In August, he announced his intention to return to the Japanese professional leagues,[14] and began playing for the semi-professional Kōchi Fighting Dogs.[3]

Later life

On August 20, 2008, Irabu was arrested on the suspicion of assaulting the manager of a bar in Umeda, Osaka. He was upset that his credit card was not accepted in the bar. At the time of the suspected assault, Irabu had consumed at least 20 glasses of beer. Irabu admitted to the assault, the bartender sustained no injuries, and Irabu paid the bill with another credit card.[15]

Irabu was arrested for DUI on May 17, 2010, in Redondo Beach, California.[16] The press release of his arrest states he resided at the time in Rancho Palos Verdes.[17]

Irabu was found dead in his home in Los Angeles on July 27, 2011, in an apparent suicide. He was reported to have hanged himself.[18] He left behind his wife and two children.[19] Irabu's autopsy showed he was inebriated at the time of his death. He was reportedly despondent because his wife and children were leaving him.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 Remembering Hideki Irabu: Japanese MLB Pitcher and Link to Donnie Moore | MLB reports
  2. ↑ Curry, Jack (July 15, 1997). "Stepfather Says Irabu Is the Son of an American". The New York Times.
  3. 1 2 Associated Press, "Irabu dead in apparent suicide", Japan Times, 30 July 2011, p. 1.
  4. ↑ Rest in peace, Hideki Irabu - Chuck Miller
  5. ↑ Whiting, Robert, "Irabu's impact on MLB-NPB relations profound", Japan Times, 16 October 2011, p. 16.
  6. ↑ Hideki Irabu - Japanese stats - JapaneseBallPlayers
  7. ↑ Kurkjian, Tim (December 15, 2006). "Posting process needs to be altered". ESPN. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  8. ↑ Hideki Irabu, 42, found dead in Los Angeles home | River Avenue Blues
  9. ↑ Whiting, Robert, "Attitude, lifestyle contributed to Irabu's demise", Japan Times, 23 October 2011.
  10. ↑ "Hideki Irabu gave New York Yankees fans a Stadium night to remember – ESPN New York". Sports.espn.go.com. 1997-07-10. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  11. ↑ http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/steinbrenner.html
  12. ↑ Merron, Jeff. "The List: Steinbrenner's worst". ESPN. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Hideki Irabu Stats ESPN
  14. ↑ "Baseball pitcher Hideki Irabu dies, aged 42". BBC News. July 28, 2011.
  15. ↑ Yuasa, Shino (August 20, 2008). "Ex-Yankee Irabu arrested for alleged assault". Fox News. Associated Press.
  16. ↑ "Hideki Irabu: Former New York Yankees Pitcher Hideki Irabu Arrested on Suspicion of Drunken Driving". ktla.com. May 25, 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  17. ↑ Whiting, Robert, "Irabu spent final days lost, without purpose", Japan Times, 30 October 2011, p. 16.
  18. ↑ Ex-Yankee Pitcher Hideki Irabu DEAD -- Suicide By Hanging Himself | TMZ.com
  19. ↑ Fortuna, Matt. "Yankees have fond memories of Irabu". MLB.com. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  20. ↑ Gallagher, Jack. "Coroner's Office says Irabu intoxicated at time of death". Japan Times, 16 October 2011, p. 16. Retrieved 2012-07-27.

External links

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